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[DanM] "1) Side pipe/J-pipe gasket - (NAPA) product line EXH  part# 31369 (fits perfect no trimming)
2) I found this lower radiator hose to fit a lot better than the donor one that FFR has you use.  Gates# 21794 ( it is straight with a short 90 deg.  bend in it)"

How does it sound / How loud is it?

[FFR] "The straight tubes connecting the headers to the side exhaust do create a robust sound, yet are certainly quieter than a Harley Davidson™.  The catalytic converters, sold as an optional replacement for the straight tubes, are primarily for those states that have tighter emissions requirements, baffle the sound of the exhaust even further.  If you are looking for the Big Block sound, removal of the Glass Pack in the muffler of the side exhaust can be arranged, although your neighbors might not be happy with the decision."

How do the catalytic converters fit / Are they in the side exhaust?

[FFR] "The catalytic converters replace the straight tubes as the connection between the engine headers and the side exhausts.  They are located before the side exhaust.  No the side exhaust does not get hot enough for the catalytic converters."

J-Pipe Information and Help

[DanM] "1) Side pipe/J-pipe gasket - (NAPA) product line EXH  part# 31369 (fits perfect no trimming)
2) I found this lower radiator hose to fit a lot better than the donor one that FFR has you use.  Gates# 21794 ( it is straight with a short 90 deg.  bend in it)"

[BP] My side pipes didn't hang right after the build, so I spent $100 and had a good muffler shop cut both J-Pipes and re-weld them so the side pipes would be perfect.  That was a great $100 spent!

[JP] "For some reason the J pipe on the drivers side puts the side pipe about 1.5" towards the back. It won't line up with the body cutout. The cutout is the same as the passenger side. I call FFR and got a new one and guess what...same thing. The passenger side was wrong too, but the replacement fixed that problem. I have been messing with these stupid J pipes for over 2 months now!"

[Rod] "I went through the same thing ... got three J pipes from FFR ... none fit. I finally located a muffler shop that specialized in custom exhausts and got them to cut & weld the J pipe. It may not be a clean as a new one but it looks good with the welds ground down and painted."

[KH] "I had about the same problem on 1690. I had to just snug the J pipe up to the header then I ran the car for a few minutes to heat up the J pipe and Header. After the pipes were warm I pulled on the tip of the side pipe and rotated the flange of the J pipe on the header. This will help take the imperfections out of the J pipe flare. Once the J pipe loosens up try to tighten one side then the other work the side pipe up, down, forward and back at the same time you are tightening it helps to have two people. Once you get it close if one person will hold the side pipe where it needs to be and the other tighten the nuts and remember to tighten one nut till it starts to move the side pipe then the other. You will probably have to start the engine to warm up the pipe and repeat this a few times. The body was off my car when I done this if yours is not it would probably have to be because you have to really pull on the pipe to get it where it needs to be. Actually you need to go past where it needs to be. But be careful and take your time not to break the studs on the headers."

If you can, take the gocart with body on to a muffler shop and tell them to make it fit, I think you'll get on the road much quicker. In my case it required (I did the work) one cut and one re-weld to reorient positioning of the side pipe to cutout."

Ceramic Coating Info:

[SM] "Most places charge about $300 +++, look at their samples and warranty."

[RT] "HPC charged $235 for j pipes and side pipes in the finish that looks like polished aluminum, $100 more for black.
A lot of local places are starting to do it so that may account for the cheaper price, take a look at their work and ask for some referrals, go from there.

Check your yellow pages under ceramic coatings. Hot rod shows, speed shops are another way."

[DW] "Make sure you do the inside of the pipes too. That will make them last longer."

[DH] "For any potential do-it-yourselfers the Ceramachrome [aluminum/silver] and Black Satin coatings are available from Speedway Motors at something like $19.95 a can- might take 1-2 cans. The silver ceramic coating needs to be baked at 500 degrees to cure- can't just run the engine as with the Black Satin or Eastwood brush-on coatings. I thought about getting an old kitchen oven and trying it out, but ended up sending my pipes out instead. I believe that these products are the same as those used by some of the commercial coating services."

BBQ Paint?

Question: [GW] "I seem to remember some earlier discussions about using flat black barbeque paint on the side pipes. Has anyone out there tried this approach"

Comments:

[PH] "From the discussions that I have had with people that have used the spray on stuff, it sounds like there is quite a bit of maintenance involved. Lots of time spent re-painting and touching up the pipes on a regular basis. By the time you calculate your $$ spent on spray cans and your time to fuss with it, you may find that the one time $400 spent on ceramic coating your entire exhaust is worth it. Plus it looks real good."

[RD] "It is important to point out that the paint is just that, a colored covering for the pipes. The ceramic coating changes the thermal characteristics and can improve performance."

[Yo] "used Plastik-Coat Hot Paint. One can has lasted me for two years. It's $6.00 a can.
So I think I will be money ahead for about 133 years"

[Ro] "VHT makes a ceramic silicone hot paint for up to, I believe, 1500 deg. Comes in white, silver or black. I did my headers and baked them in the BBQ then wrapped them and sprayed the wrapping. I baked them again and then installed. I did the side pipes with the black.
VHT is available locally in performance stores. I've gotten it from Summit Racing.

Also Eastwood has a nice high temp coating you can apply with a foam brush. http://www.eastwoodcompany.com"

[RB] "I ran side exhausts with black BBQ paint for about a year and 20,000 miles. If you cleaned up the metal and used a BBQ paint it does last well. The places it wears off is in the front. So a quick touch up once a year and your fine. I think the BBQ paint process is a good budget way to go. Later you can always have the pipes coated as they will sand blast the paint off anyway."

[CD] "Lets see $400 for coating or $6 for paint and it lasts for 20,000 miles. Choices, choices, choices, mine are painted, and you can always have them coated if you want to pull them back off the car."

[PH] "Okay, so the cost justification is up for dispute.

For the $394 difference, I still think the ceramic coating look is worth it. But then again, it all comes down to personal preference."

[1225] "Rustoleum black BBQ paint lasts a long time and considering it's $3.99 a can go figure. It holds up well over a year and I live at the beach. The track tires throw sand and a touch up where it turns out of the body helps after a year or so."

[351] "I used the VHT paint on the J-Pipes worked great but you need to bake them in an oven at 550 degrees to harden them up which would be difficult with the side pipes."

[DW] "Nobody's mentioned heat. Ceramic coated pipes will run quite a bit cooler than black-painted pipes."

[1846] "Wal*Mart Bar-B-Que black paint. I think I paid like $3.84...did the pipes, cats, roll bar, quick jacks and anything else that needed to be black. They all match. Like Ralph said, front of the pipes need to be touched up from stuff kicking up off the front tires. Well, have to break open that same can of paint over the winter...wouldn't want to get over $4 into black paint, you know!"

[JP] "LOVE the BBQ paint, Rustoleum is my choice. I used VHT black the first couple years, repainted once each 6 months or 6,000 miles, whichever came first, then used BBQ paint the last time and it's holding up better. How 'bout this: when I inherited Inman's driver side Jet-Hot coated side pipe, from when he wrecked his car a year or so ago, the front curved part leading into/under the body was dented in and ceramic chewed off. I used it to replace my rotted-out pipe (my fault, from an ill-advised alternate mounting strap I welded on under the muffler) SOOOO I touched it up with BBQ paint, bolted it up, and you don't even see the ding, and it matched the ceramic perfect!"

[Ad] "While I agree wholeheartedly that ceramic will last longer and look better, this $400 figure seems low. Last time I got a quote it was going to cost me at least $750 to get the pipes, j's, headers, dual roll bars, and quick jacks all done."

[CD] "paid $400 for my headers and $150 for mufflers which had to be modified, from Hooker, and now the ceramic coating is up to $750. If this keeps up I would have more money in headers than the car."

[1225] "BBQ paint works well on the Headers and J pipes too. In my opinion the coated pipes especially chrome will burn your skin more severly during a quick touch on a sidepipe.

I used a header paint on my new 4 into 4s called World of Color. The silver paint has lasted a year under the hood. $3 at most hardware stores.

I would recommend having the headers and sidepipes chromed or coated after test mounting the body and pipes. Too many times 02 bungs and adjustments have to be made."

[LL] "guys, i suggest that before you shoot that BBQ paint you degrease the parts and then sand blast them. this way it will stick better and it would probably last longer. i'm in the ceramic coating business but i built my cobra on a budget so every little bit of information helps."

[1225] "The process I do is clean up the welds with the die grinder, wash off the oily coating with paint thinner and then lightly sand with 220.
Shake the can of BBQ paint real good and then fog on a thin coat, after a few minutes spray again. If the pipes are hanging on end you can finish it in one day. If you are spraying them laying on a piece of the donor crate you may need to roll them over the next day to finish them up."

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